The two of us have shared many memorable accasions of various dogs finishing.

Although oru breeding programs are different, 

it has helped us both keep an open mind with regard to the dogs.

I remember seeing Judie Evans at a local match show back in 1968.

It was a new face in the area, and I later found out that she had recently moved East from California.

Being tied up with puppies that day I never did get to meet her, but several months later, she telephoned

to ask if I were going to the Collie Club of Southern Ohio Specialty, and if so would i take a bitch

of hers that she had recently purchased from the coast.

She told me in detail about this particular bitch and made my mouth water just listening.

However, Cincinnati was a long way off, 

and i decided that i would like to see the bitch before committing myself. 

From her description she almost sounded too good to be true.

Well, i finally did get to see her, and it was love at first sight as i first laid my eyes upon what i consider 

one of the most beautiful collies of all times. The bitch was Ch. Kemricks Silver Satin.

Ch. Kemricks Silver Satin

Judie´s first interest in the breed went back to the days that the lived in Chicago.

It was here that she purchased her first collie and attended her first shows. 

Her first bitch was a very heavy coated Hertzville bitch.

Always admiring Edith Levine´s Glen Knolls dogs, Judie researched their backround 

and found that Edith too, had also started with a basically Hertzville bitch.

The bitch´s first breeding was to Glen Knolls Knightswood Sky, 

not only for Judie´s love of the dog but for the love 

of his champion daughter, Glen Knolls Spun Gold.

A tri bitch from this litter, registered as Clarions Ebony Lace 

was breed to Ch. Glen Knolls Flash Lightening, 

and from this litter came Clarions Frosted Lace.

Judie had seen "Ch. Impromtu Repartee" as she won the CCA put in California that year, 

which is why she decided in Flash Lightening. 

Frosted Lace, bred to the Legacy/Repartee son, 

Ch. Impromptu Ricochet produced Clarions Caprice, 

who at 10 months was Best in Tournament at the old Noeeco Tournament, 

defeating several area champions.

As Judie continued on her way to dog shows,

 she knew that if she were to breed the collies that pleased her the most, 

they would have to be blue merles.

Along the way, she met Dolores Hogan of Kemrick Collies (now Dolores Gill). 

Dolores had a litter there 

by Valley Views Whirlaway out of the Grey Ghost daughter, Valley Views Color Me Blue.

Both Whirlaway and Color Me Blue were out of Cebobs Black Diamond, 

who was also the dam of the sensational Ch. Valley View Satin Slippers. 

Judie quickly eyed up a blue bitch that she liked and tried to buy her, 

but unfortunately, she was not for sale.

When Judie later moved to New Jersey, she still had the yearning for that little blue bitch, 

and although almost a year had passed since she tried to buy her, 

she decided to call California and try again.

Due to personal problems, Dolores decided to let her go, and Lark was shipped East.

Lark was the bitch that i would take to Southern Ohio.

She was WB there, as well as the Collie Club of Connecticut, 

and the Collie Club of Kentucky to finish in two weekends with three five-point majors. 

Shortly thereafter, Judie purchased a tri bitch from Dolores who was also out of Color Me Blue, 

this time sired by Ch. Impromptu Ricochet.

With Silver Satin finishing so quickly, 

this little bitch was brought out at seven months to nab a five - point reserve at her first show.

At 9 months she flew out with me to the Collie Club of Amerika, held in Minnesota that year. 

She went straight from the American Bred class to WB and BOW for her first points, 

and finished handily there after.

This little bitch was of course, Ch. Kemricks on the Rebound. 

"Ricky" as she was called, was bred right after finishing to a linebred dog, 

but Judie was very disappointed in the puppies. 

She sought an outcross dog who would complement her in type, 

and chose Ch. Kirklyns Big Blue. From this litter came Ch. Clarions Rebel Rebound, 

owned by Judie Breuer and later exported to Japan.

At about the same time that Judie obtained "On The Rebound" 

she was also lucky enough to acquire Silver Satin´s sire, Valley Views Whirlaway.

Ch. Valley View´s Whirlaway

He was about four and a half when she got him, 

and had been shown only as a youngster and then kept at home. 

Deciding not to let age be a factor, Judie decided that he was too good a dog to sit at home, 

so at the age of Five, "Rocky" went to his first dog show as an adult.

It was the Keystone Specialty under Alex Gibbs where he went from the Open Tri class to RD.

Three weeks later he was WD and BOW at the Mason Dixon Specialty, 

and finished with his third major at the Collieclub of Maryland.

In limited use, this dog would go on to sire thirteen champions.

In Silver Satin´s litter along there were also 

Champions Kemricks Shades of Blue and Ch Clellends Blue Yonder.

While being half sisters through their dam (Color Me Blue), 

Judie saw different qualities in Silver Satin and

On The Rebound, and decided to send Silver Satin to Ricky´s sire, Ch. Impromtu Ricochet.

From this litter came Ch. Clarions Blue Persuasion, co-owned by Judie and myself.

She was WB at ten months at the Toledo Specialty 

and finished the following year at the Keystone Specialty. 

She was later sold with the stipulation that she would return to Whirlaway for a litter, 

and from this litter came near champion Claretones Blue Whirl o´Valhalla. 

In The same litter were two tris which stood out... a dog and a bitch.

The tri dog would go on to become Ch. Clarion Nightrider. 

Ch. Clarion Nightrider

The bitch was given to Jean Cullen and was named Lauriens Black Satin. 

Black Satin, bred to Silver Satin´s brother, Clellands Blue Yonder, 

produced Ch. Lauriens Afterhours Blues, 

who doubled back on Whirlaway.

Silver Satin´s next litter was by Ricochet´s sire, Brandwyne New Legacy. 

This litter produced only two puppies, one of which was Ch. Clarions Midnite Sky, 

Ch. Clarion Midnite Sky

Second Sweeps Finalist at the CC of America in 1972, 

and RD at the National the following year, attaining his championship 

with a BOB over specials at New England.

Prior to all this, Judie had made about three different moves throughout New Jersey, 

always having the desire to have a big place in the country.

As dog shows were cut down somewhat, much of her mad money was put aside 

and soon thereafter she became the owner of twenty acres on the side 

of a hill in Upper New York state.

Today those twenty acres, filled with apple trees, chickens, pigs, and two horses, 

and many fine collies, are the home 

of the Clarion Collies.

But the move up there brought much sadness along with it, 

as immediatly prior to the move, 

Ch. Kemricks Silver Satin was laid to rest, 

followed in two weeks by her sire Ch. Valley Views Whirlaway. 

Silver Satin left behind a legacy in her blue daughter 

by Ch. Tartanside The Gladiator... Clarions The Silver Vixen.

After being accustomed to having a tri dog around (Whirlaway was the house dog).

 Judie pained for a tir dog, 

and with luck found out that Ch. Clarions Nightrider was for sale. 

Not about to let a deal like this slip through her hands, 

Judie quickly made the move to buy him.

Unfortunately, when he arrived, the cloud of bad luck was still with her as he was completely sterile.

Being the type who never gives up, Judie was not about to sit back and let things ride.

He spent a week at Cornell University, but they were unable to even obtain a semen sample.

Somewhat discouraged, but not yet defeated, 

Judie returned to pick him up with a bitch in season, 

and quickly collected the semen necessary for further testing.

After separating the prostate fluid from the semen, 

it was discovered that he had a staph infection in the prostate.

He was treated for the infection, and in the interim, Judie called Bobbee Roos. 

Bobbee had given a talk on vitamins and their effect on the stud dog, 

and Nightrider was put on her vitamin program.

Judie will be forever indebted to both Cornell and Bobbee, as Night was back on the track, 

and his first thirty - two bitches all had puppies!

Judie´s great faith in this dog´s siring ability is proving true. 

In his second litter he sired Winmars Rough Rider, who at nine months picked up a 5-point-major. 

He went on to sire several other winners, and Judie

is anxiously awaiting news of his first champion.

Recently, Judie purchased a Nightrider daughter, 

Clarions Mist Over Paradise from Val Nassetta. At seven

months she was reserve at the Collie Club of Western Mass specialty. 

Like Whirlaway, I suspect that this dog will go on to be a key sire in breed history.

Along the road of success, Judie has carefully linebred 

and several times sent granddaughters back to grandsire to achieve the qualities that she desired.

She was quick enough to realize however that at certain times common faults were cropping up, 

and at that point was not afraid to make the judicious outcross.

She looked for dogs common in phenotype although completly different in genotype.

And she took her best bitches to the outcross dogs.

She did not always expect a winner in the first generation, but would keep them for breeding back.

Such was the case with the (Tartanside) Gladiator, Silver Satin daughter,

who, when breed back to Nightrider has twice given her several different winners.

Those who know Judie also know that she is a "nut" on conditioning and showmanship.

I can still remember her first home in Wayne, New Jersey. 

A very large kitchen accommodated all of the dogs at time.

They would come charging in from the outside, were all baited and worked for a few minutes, 

the allowed to eat and then vacate the premises. 

In this way she was sure that every dog was eating to best capacity. 

It also kept down fighting and fence running 

and she was able to kennel all the dogs together in one large exercise area.

With Nightrider well on his way, 

I´m sure we will be hearing more about Clarion Collies in the very near future!

 Clarion Collies -

Best Breeder of the Year 2002 of the USA!